MP

Joanna Gash (LIB) since 1996.

Profile

Mixed electorate covering 5,529 sq.km on the NSW south coast. Based in the agricultural Shoalhaven River valley, its main population centres are Nowra-Bomaderry, Kiama, Milton-Ulladulla and Batemans Bay. The small coastal communities that dot the electorate are popular destinations for retirees, and holiday makers after a cheap secluded holiday. The electorate also includes scenic Jervis Bay, but not the naval base, which is on Commonwealth territory and so included in the Canberra electorate of Fraser.

Redistribution

Loses Jamberoo, Kiama Downs and Minnamurra to Throsby, while Robertson, Moss Vale, Bundanoon and other areas in the Southern Highlands are transferred to Hume. With Batemans Bay now added from Eden, the Liberal margin falls from 10.1% to 9.4%.

History/Trivia

Created by the 1984 redistribution and named after famous Australian poet and author, Dame Mary Gilmore. The seat was initially held by the National Party's John Sharpe 1984-93, but when the 1992 redistribution re-drew Gilmore as a small coastal electorate, he chose to follow Goulburn and Cowra out of Gilmore and into Hume. Sharpe was elected as MP for Hume at the same election as Labor's Peter Knott won Gilmore. After one term as a somewhat eccentric backbencher, Knott lost to the Liberal Party's Joanna Gash in 1996. She retained the seat in 1998 with a below average 2.2% swing against her, and then achieved a substantial 10.1% swing in her favour in 2001, the largest in the country. The accepted explanation of this huge swing in 2001 was Labor Party's decision to nominate former member Peter Knott. The 2004 election saw a swing of 4.5% to Labor's new candidate, substantially against the NSW trend, suggesting Labor does better in this seat without Peter Knott as its candidate. According to the 2006 census, 21.6% of the population of Gilmore is aged 65 and over, the highest proportion in the country, and the median age of 45 is also the highest in the country.

Main Candidates

The sitting Liberal MP is Joanna Gash, a 63 year-old local businesswoman who worked in the local tourism and hospitality industry before her election to Parliament in 1996. Before her election she also served on Wingecarribee Council and was part-owner of the Ranleigh House guest house at Robertson. Labor's candidate is Neil Reilly, who has spent almost his entire working life in the advertising industry, apart from two and a half years in the army and a year writing screenplays.

Issues and Polls

It will be interesting to see how Of The Above None polls. On the ballot paper, he will appear as 'NONE, Of The Above'. Unfortunately for fans of election oddities, he did not draw the bottom position on the ballot paper.

Assessment

Well above the swing needed for Labor to win government, and with what looks like an inflated Liberal margin, but still defended by a very popular local Liberal MP.